AIADMK gears for internal polls amid OPS-EPS factional feud

Tamil Naidu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar and others during the AIADMK's day-long fast on the Cauvery issue in Chennai | PTI [File] Tamil Naidu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami along with Deputy Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam and Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar in Chennai | PTI

A day after the grand finale of the MGR centenary celebrations, the OPS-EPS combine-led AIADMK is gearing up for crucial internal polls. A communiqué, jointly signed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his deputy O. Panneerselvam, and sent out to the party cadres, announced that the distribution of membership cards will begin on October 8, paving way for the organisational polls which is held once in five years. The mandatory organisational polls in the ruling party is due in 2019.

“Those who had submitted their membership enrolment forms from March 1 to May 31 can collect their new membership cards on October 8. The cards for those who submitted the forms after May 5 can collect it later and the date for the same will be subsequently announced,” said the statement.

The announcement comes at a time when Palanisamy’s clout in the party is growing day by day and Panneerselvam is being sidelined. Highly placed sources in the AIADMK say that the chief minister would soon take control of the party. “EPS and OPS are like Che Guevera and Fidel Castro. They will lead us,” minister D. Jayakumar commented at the MGR centenary celebration valedictory function on Sunday.

Interestingly, the AIADMK leaders will have to respond to a petition, pending in the Delhi High Court, seeking election to the post of general secretary, on October 12. The petition was filed by rebel leader K.C. Palanisamy who was part of the OPS faction and later expelled from the party for anti-party activities.

Though no court had barred internal polls in AIADMK, the replies from both EPS and OPS in the court could throw lots of surprises as the factional feud within the party has reached dizzying heights and the rift within the ruling dispensation has been widening. However, the new members will form the yet to be elected general council, which in turn will play a crucial role in choosing the coordinator and joint coordinator of the party, which is currently held by OPS and EPS respectively.

Recently, after a series of CBI raids, there were media reports on the removal of Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar from the cabinet. However, Chief Minister Palanisami granted him the organising secretary post in the party. While the decision was taken in a party meeting in which both OPS and EPS held discussions with the party members, highly placed sources in the party said that EPS wanted to retain the minister even when OPS opposed the decision. Apparently, the 11-member steering committee which was supposed to be constituted immediately after the merger is still hanging in the balance. Sources say both EPS and OPS were not able to reach a consensus on this. EPS has ensured that he gets an upper hand in the internal polls, which will pave way for him taking control of the party, said sources.

It may be recalled that the recent membership drive was not much successful as it used to be under Jayalalithaa. The membership drive which began in January this year, came to a close only in June. Sources say that EPS is keen on adding more members in the party, even when many of the existing members have not renewed their AIADMK membership and have switched to the T.T.V. Dhinakaran camp. In the last few months, at least 5,000 office bearers and party cadres have been expelled as they moved to the TTV camp.

The AIADMK leadership has not yet officially released the membership numbers. Jayalalithaa had claimed that the party had 1.5 crore members. Sources in the party say that close to 70 lakh members have renewed their membership while many of the office bearers did not submit the duly filled membership forms. Sources further say the exact numbers will be officially announced after the membership cards are distributed. However, the communiqué sent out by OPS and EPS has made it clear that no one from outside the party can get on board the party organisational structure and anyone owing allegiance to Dhinakaran or those who have switched camps may not be able to get any party posts. “Those who have submitted the forms and registered as a primary member are alone eligible to contest or vote in the organisational elections.”